Sixers Notes: Hawes returns for 76ers

By John N. Mitchell, Inquirer Staff Writer

ATLANTA - When 76ers center Spencer Hawes bounded into the locker room after warm-ups, it was pretty clear that he was going to play against the Hawks Saturday night.

"Survey says, I'm good," said Hawes, who missed the last 10 games with a strained Achilles tendon.

Hawes has missed 11 games this season - one game was with a lower-back strain. In the 12 games he had appeared in before Saturday, all of them starts, Hawes averaged 10.4 points and 8.8 rebounds.

Without Hawes on the floor, the Sixers offense has struggled. He is skilled as a high-post passer, and the Sixers do a lot of dribble handoffs and cut off of him. He has also had better success than ever with his jumper.

Hawes and coach Doug Collins wanted to make sure the center was completely healthy before he came back.

"Now that I know, hopefully I can't do anything else to make it worse," said Hawes.

He realized he would be able to play after running on his toes before Friday's Miami game and not feeling pain.

Hawes will be a free agent this summer, so he is also playing for a new contract. That had nothing to do with his missing as many games as he did, he said.

"It's really about getting back out there, being healthy and playing and winning," Hawes said. "I'm not looking at that. If we go out and win, the contract stuff will take care of itself."

Brand's struggles

After he was held scoreless for just the fifth time in his career in the game against the Heat, forward Elton Brand made no mention of the sprained right thumb he suffered in the first half when his thumb got caught in another player's jersey.

The Sixers did not say how long Brand is expected to be out.

Doug Collins said that Brand's low scoring has nothing to do with the team not getting him enough shots. He said Brand has to start knocking down his short jumpers.